Waste containers are devices for the temporary storage of waste which are usually manufactured of a metal, plastic or composite. Common terms used to identify waste containers include a rubbish bin, garbage can, trash can, dumpster, waste basket, or container bin. One prevalent form of waste container is the curbside dumpster (also known as a skip) which is a centralized receptacle used to collect and store large volumes of waste. These dumpsters are usually owned and operated by a municipality or a third-party waste vendor hired by a municipality. Regardless, these dumpsters are routinely emptied by large waste collection vehicles on a pre-set schedule.
Most often in commercial and residential community settings, a large dumpster is posited at strategic locations for individuals needing to deposit trash. One or more lids are typically placed on the top of each dumpster. Each of these lids pivot to open the dumpster to allow deposit of trash, for later scheduled collection by the large waste collection vehicle. Such lids function to prevent deposit of significantly large and bulky trash items which may degrade or puncture the dumpster.
The large waste collection vehicles visit the dumpsters during scheduled visits and engage each dumpster through use of forward extending forks designed to lift the dumpster and invert it over an opening within the collection vehicle to empty the dumpster and then replace it on the ground for continued use.
Trash collection services that include routine scheduled emptying of dumpsters constitutes a significant expenditure for commercial and residential facilities and is typically billed on a per visit basis. However, many times these trash dumpsters are less than full and the emptying schedule is excessive in that trash dumpsters could easily be filed with additional trash before emptying occurs.
Moreover, trash typically deposited in dumpsters is loose and expansive such that it takes up a significant volume, despite the fact the loose trash is mostly air. Thus, if such trash was somehow compacted to reduce its overall volume, the dumpster could easily handle increased loads and amounts of trash before the dumpster would require emptying by a large commercial vehicle.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art of trash receptacles for a robust dumpster design that allows for compaction between visits by large commercial vehicles. Such dumpster should be able to reduce the volume of loose trash in order to maximize use of the dumpster.